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In the frame of the DAMAST (Dams and Seismicity) project, we deployed a dense high-fidelity seismological real-time network to investigate in detail the spatio-temporal seismicity distribution around the Enguri high dam, situated in the greater Caucasus in western Georgia. We aim at recording the weak seismicity in a 10 km distance around the dam structure. To lower the detection threshold by reducing the ambient background noise, we installed four seismic stations in shallow (ca. 20 m) and deep boreholes. From these stations, KIT1 with a depth of ca. 250 m is the deepest seismological station in Georgia. In this paper, we characterize the seismicity recorded by the local seismic network from October 2020 to July 2022. To have a better historical picture of the seismic activity, especially since the dam construction and initial operations, re-processing of the old seismological catalogs was carried out. This required digitizing the paper-only catalog copies prior to relocation. We finally obtain a uniform catalog for the Enguri region to characterize the seismicity and start investigating its possible relationship with the exploitation of the dam reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urbanization processes with growing vehicle numbers cause heavy metal pollution in street dust, and high populations in metropolitan cities are exposed to pollutants. This paper aims to monitor the spatial distribution of heavy metals and evaluate the concentrations via health risk assessment of HMs (Cu, Ni, Cd, Co, Pb, and Zn) that expose the inhabitants to health hazards. According to the results of the current study, sixty street dust samples were applied to the acid digestion technique and quantification by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The spatial distribution of the selected heavy metals in the street dust was investigated using the spatial analysis tool in ArcGIS 10.0 according to population density and land use. In the present study, we used hazard index and cancer risk methods to estimate the public health risk of the pollutants exposed to street dust in Ankara. The concentrations range of the elements in street dust over the study area ranged from 3.34–4.50, 31.69–42.87, 16.09–21.54, 42.85–57.55, 0.00–3.51, and 23.03–30.79, respectively. The overall decreasing order of mean concentration of metals was observed as follows: Pb > Cu > Ni > Co > Cd > Zn. Vehicle traffic and industrial activities seem to be the most critical anthropogenic sources responsible for dust pollution in the study area. The risk assessment of Pb and Ni exposure was the highest, and the hazard index values were 2.42E + 00 and 2.28E + 00 mg/kg/day for children. However, the effect on adults was 2.62E-01 and 2.37E-02 mg/kg/day, followed by inhalation and dermal contact with street dust was almost negligible. The decreasing concentration is modeled spatially along the western development corridor of the city. The risk to public health is high in areas with high densities close to the city center and the main artery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of ensemble learning has recently offered a new approach to model complex systems. Inspired by the success of such methods, this paper introduces a new ensemble approach that integrates capabilities of two top state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) methods, namely random forests (RF) and genetic programming (GP), to model and forecast meteorological drought onset and severity. The new method, called gene-random forest (GeRF), follows the same steps of a standard GP systems, but with differences in the generation of initial population of potential solutions. The GeRF was tested to model and predict standardized precipitation evapotranspiration indices (SPEI-3 and SPEI-6) at two meteorology stations in Ankara province, Turkey. We have compared its efficiency to those of a classic autoregressive model as well as standalone RF, GP, and a hybrid ML model, called Bat-ELM, achieving results meaningfully superior to the benchmarks, particularly in the testing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slake durability test device was primarily designed for argillaceous rocks (clay-bearing) such as shale, claystone mudstone, and marl by Franklin and Chandra (Franklin JA, Chandra R (1972) The slake-durability test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 9:325–341). Later, the International Society for Rock Mechanics standardized the test method (ISRM (2007) The complete ISRM suggested methods for rock characterization, testing, and monitoring, 1974–2006. In: Ulusay R, Hudson JA, compilation arranged by the ISRM Turkish national group, Ankara, Turkey). The slake durability test is conducted to assess the durability offered by argillaceous rocks to degradation (slaking) when subjected to wetting–drying cycles (WD cycles). However, in previous decades two, various researchers also have used this test to assess non-argillaceous rocks. In this paper, the effects of the WD cycles and rock lumps abrasion (RLA) on the degradation of argillaceous and non-argillaceous rocks during the slake durability test are investigated. To this end, some marls and limestones (as argillaceous and non-argillaceous samples, respectively) were collected from rock trenches along roads in Lorestan province, west of Iran. The mineralogical studies were performed by microscopic thin sections and X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD). Also, physico-mechanical tests, including porosity (n) and point load index (PLI), and slake durability tests up to 15 cycles were carried out to characterize the samples. Results indicated that the degradation of argillaceous samples [assessed using slake durability index (SDI)] during the slake durability test was remarkably affected by WD cycles. Besides, the RLA showed less effect on the degradation of these samples. WD cycles had a preventative role in the degradation of the non-argillaceous samples, and only the RLA was responsible for the degradation of these sample types. The findings show that clay minerals in argillaceous samples make them highly susceptible to degradation by WD cycles. Moreover, the absence of these minerals in non-argillaceous samples has caused their degradation to be independent of the WD cycles. According to simple regression analyses, there is a good correlation between the degradation of the argillaceous samples with their saturated-to-dry PLI ratio (PLIr). However, no significant correlation existed between degradation and PLIr of the non-argillaceous samples. Overall, the PLIr can be considered a low-cost, rapid, and precise indicator to assess the degradation of the argillaceous samples during the slake durability test. Highlights: The effect of the wetting-drying cycles (WD cycles) on the degradation of argillaceous and non-argillaceous rocks was investigated. The degradation of argillaceous samples during the slake durability test was remarkably affected by WD cycles The absence of clay minerals in non-argillaceous samples has caused their degradation to be independent of the WD cycles. There is a good correlation between the degradation of the argillaceous samples with their saturated-to-dry PLI ratio (PLIr). The PLIr can be considered a low-cost, rapid, and precise indicator to assess the degradation of the argillaceous samples during the slake durability test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a landscape planning and management method for river basins within the context of the European Landscape Convention (ELC) and European Water Framework Directive (WFD). This method has been applied to the Zir Valley in Ankara, Turkey. Landscape planning is identified by the ELC (European Treaty Series No. 176, ) as an important, forward-looking action to enhance, restore or create landscapes. The ELC also states that landscape management should promote sustainable development to ensure the non-degradation of landscapes and to help harmonize inevitable changes. The WFD (Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, ) is a set of guidelines for managing large bodies of water. Its principle directive is to identify water bodies and the adjacent land areas that influence, and are influenced by, those water bodies. These are called River Basin Districts, and act as essential physiographic landscape units. While several regulations related to environmental planning, and used on a national as well as European basis, tend to utilize the same tools in practice, there are dissimilarities in how they are specifically applied and little effort is being made to promote a cooperative approach. In this paper, a National Approach for River Basin Management is proposed. This approach, which includes a landscape planning and management method based on landscape form and function, was developed to address the common purposes of the ELC and WFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, extremely highly plastic soil samples were collected from clay deposits in the Akyurt district of Ankara (Turkey), near Esenboğa Airport. Hydrated lime and fly ash were applied as chemical stabilizers. The clay samples were mixed with a stabilizing agent considering the dry weight (lime content: 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%; fly ash content: 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%). The engineering properties of the improved soil samples were determined via laboratory tests. The changes in engineering properties, especially in regard to the swell potential and compressive strength, were analyzed in this paper. Correlations between index properties, swell percentage and swell pressure were established. The effective lime content reducing the liquid limit and plasticity index ranged from 4 to 5%, whereas approximately 8% lime was necessary to attain an allowable swell percentage. Fly ash did not effectively improve the extremely highly plastic clay in reasonable amounts (i.e., 20 to 25%) in terms of its swelling properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to make the phenomenological concept sense of place (SoP) pragmatic in design and planning, this research investigates the SoP indicators concerning spatial scales of the physical environment. Seven indicators are extracted from the literature, namely 'place identity', 'place dependence', 'nature bonding', 'social bonding', 'sense of belonging', 'familiarity' and 'social interaction'. In this paper, their relevance was discussed against 'place attachment' which is used interchangeably with SoP in the literature. 'Place attachment' and the seven indicators were scored through interviews with residents in general and at the the building, street and neighbourhood scales, in six housing developments selected from Ankara, Turkey. The residents rated their experiences regarding a set of statements for each indicator using the seven-point Likert scale. The data sets then were validated statistically. The correlations between each indicator and 'place attachment' in general and at the three scales were identified. The results showed that 'place identity' and 'place dependence' were the most relevant indicators to SoP, at the street and neighbourhood scales in particular. The second most relevant indicators were 'sense of belonging' and 'social bonding' at the building and street scales and 'social interaction' at the street scale. The research suggests that these five indicators could be employed to evaluate SoP at all scales or guide place-making at a particular spatial scale in planning and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the classification and prediction capabilities of decision tree (DT), genetic programming (GP), and gradient boosting decision tree (GBT) techniques for one-month ahead prediction of standardized precipitation index in Ankara province and standardized precipitation evaporation index in central Antalya region. The evolved models were developed based on multi-station prediction scenarios in which observed (reanalyzed) data from nearby stations (grid points) were used to predict drought conditions in a target location. To tackle the rare occurrence of extreme dry/wet conditions, the drought series at the target location was categorized into three classes of wet, normal, and dry events. The new models were trained and validated using the first 70% and last 30% of the datasets, respectively. The results demonstrated the promising performance of GBT for meteorological drought classification. It provides better performance than DT and GP in Ankara; however, GP predictions for Antalya were more accurate in the testing period. The results also exhibited that the proposed GP model with a scaled sigmoid function at root can effortlessly classify and predict the number of dry, normal, and wet events in both case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the performance of the latest version of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2016) model for estimating the Total Electron Content (TEC) variations in the mid-latitudinal Turkish regions during low solar activity years (2015–2018). Moreover, TEC is estimated from dual-frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers operating in different regions of Turkey: Zonguldak (41.44 °N, 31.77 °E), Ankara (39.88 °N, 32.75 °E) and Antalya (36.88 °N, 30.66 °E). The diurnal, monthly and seasonal variations in the measured TEC are compared with the prediction of modelled TEC. The results reveal minimum variations in the diurnal TEC after midnight hours 21:00–24:00 Universal Time (UT = LT + 3 : 00 hrs ) and maximum TEC enhancement during the daytime from 9:00–15:00 UT (12:00–18:00 LT). The monthly mean TEC from measured and modelled estimation depicts the highest and lowest values in April and December during the years 2015–2018, respectively. Moreover, the low and high seasonal variations are observed in equinoxes and winter solstice, respectively. Furthermore, it is observed that IRI-2016 model underestimates the measured values, especially during the daytime (12:00–18:00 LT) at each station. The correlation coefficient between the measured and modelled TEC is found in the range (R = 0.81 – 0.85 ) during the years 2015–2018, which exhibits a high positive correlation over the regions. The model predicted TEC is showing a good agreement with measured TEC of the ionospheric dynamics over the regions, which manifests the radio signals accuracy over the mid-latitude regions, particularly Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of certain types of plants to determine the accumulation of HMs (heavy metals) has yielded quite consistent results in the research fields. Many researches have focused on particular types of HMs due to their common presence in the air (Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Cr to name a few). However, it is equally as important to shed light on other types of HMs and the scale of their existence in our atmosphere, hence this paper. Blue spruce (Picea pungens) tree organs were used in an experiment to calculate the recent concentration of HMs. The research concentrates on Ca, Cu, and Li elements in the washed and unwashed needles, branches, and barks, and these organs were evaluated depending on the organ age. The study results showed that the concentration of the elements subjected to the research changed depending on the organ, washing status and organ age, and that the lowest concentrations of Ca and Cu elements were obtained in the barks in general. In relation to the organ age, it was found that there was an increase in the concentration of Ca with age, and that the concentration of Li element was inversely proportional to age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes an institutional change in a large, Turkish public university, the Middle East Technical University (METU), by using an anomaly-based change model. The model explains change as an organizational response to anomalies caused by internal and external organizational conditions. The study used a qualitative case study design that included interviews with 51 individuals, and, analysis of institution-specific documents. Anomalies derived from the interview findings compared with a separate set of anomalies, devised from the document study, that are attributed to the strategic change agenda developed by the current president of the institution. The paper argues that human thinking and problem solving as well as organizational cognition and problem solving do proceed through existence and recognition of a problematic situation. So, anomalies are the ID cards of any major change in organizations in that they carry important information about where the organization comes from and where it should proceed to. Implications for the nature and management of change in higher education organizations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the shift scheduling problem of the personnel who maintain the 324 trains operating on the lines of the Ankara Metro, which carry approximately 10 million passengers per month, is discussed. In the problem, daily personnel needs and personnel qualifications are evaluated together according to the fault prediction. Firstly, a total of 1721 fault data for 181 days is analyzed, and the prediction is made according to 8 prediction methods. Then, a 30-day fault prediction is made with the prediction method, which has the least error rate. According to the number of faults obtained as a result of the prediction, the daily personnel requirement is determined. Then, according to the type of fault, the personnel are classified as electronics, electromechanics, and mechanics. It is aimed at distributing the personnel evenly to the shifts. The goal programming model is used to solve the problem, allowing us to add more than one goal to the model. When the solution results of the problem are compared with the current schedule, it is seen that the monthly total working hours are distributed equally, and the shifts are distributed fairly, and a necessary balance is achieved in the shifts according to the personnel qualifications. It is thought that this study, in which personnel qualifications and fault prediction are evaluated together, will contribute to the literature on railway maintenance personnel scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a reply by the authors to H. Sonmez's commentary to their paper "Effect of Weathering on the Geomechanical Properties of Andesite, Ankara, Turkey." In his commentary, Sonmez said that the shear strength envelopes of weathered andesite rock masses lie under the shear strength envelopes of residual soils. In addition, Sonmez stated that the andesite investigated in the study is highly weathered. The study authors did not agree with Sonmez because no one can state that the GSI values are less than the real site conditions without studying the specific sites.

Abstract  The paper reports an assessment of the engineering geological characteristics of the rock mass to be encountered between Mecidiye and Gazino stations on the new extension of the Ankara metro and the determination of appropriate support and excavation methods. The rock mass quality was estimated using the rock mass rating (RMR), geological strength index (GSI) and rock mass quality (Q) systems and the tunnel divided into sections. The RMR, Q and NATM systems were used to determine the support and excavation methods in these areas. The deformations and stress concentrations around each tunnel section were investigated and the interaction of the support systems with the rock mass was analyzed using finite element software. It is concluded that rock mass classification systems should be used in tandem with numerical tools, although it is emphasized that the estimation of rock mass properties is not an exact science and both rock properties and numerical models should be refined based on observations and the results of instrumentation installed during the construction of a tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The paper presents the geotechnical properties along the route of the 9,325 m twin tunnel metro route in the Greater Municipality of Ankara. Convergence measurements taken during tunnel construction are presented and discussed. In addition, the convergence of the twin metro tunnels was analysed by means of a 2D plane strain finite element (FE) analysis. The FE model estimations and the field measurements are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Environmental Engineering (ENVE) Department was established at the Middle East Technical University (METU) as a graduate program in January 1973. It began offering undergraduate programs in 1978. The department today has 12 faculty members and about 250 students. Numerous courses both on Environmental Sciences and on Environmental Technology are offered at the graduate and undergraduate level. This paper summarizes the curriculum development and missions of the ENVE Department at METU. Also, the basic characteristics of the undergraduate and graduate program are reviewed from the point of view of sustainable production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some slope instability problems exist in Ankara clay along E90 highway. The purpose of this paper is to determine the mineralogical and geotechnical properties of soils, and to investigate the causes and mechanisms of three rotational landslides along a section of the highway. In order to accomplish these tasks, field studies, laboratory testing, back analyses, and limit equilibrium and finite difference analyses were performed. The landslides are formed within a soil consisting of clay and silt with a little sand and gravel. Slope stability analyses indicate that long-term stability of already failed slopes is critical. The failures are progressive, showing strain softening behavior with full saturation. Broken irrigation pipes existing near the landslides are found to be the main cause of sliding. Maintenance of the pipes, surface drainage, removal and replacement of the failed (slided) material are considered to be economical and practical solutions for the remediation of the slides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volume-changing clay soils constitute the most costly natural hazard to buildings on shallow foundations. With the existing expansive clays in Ankara, low-rise buildings at the southwest part of the city have shown damage resulting in considerable maintenance costs. This paper reports the findings of an experimental investigation emphasizing the swelling behavior of Ankara Clay and correlations between the swelling parameters and other soil properties, and present a synthesis of observed damage details. The poor performance of the affected light-weight structures is assessed in the light of environmental conditions. In addition, swelling maps for SW and central parts of the Ankara metropolitan area, based on measured and predicted swelling parameters, are constructed for the purposes of land-use planning and general assessment of environmental problems. The experimental results suggest that the clay has high-to-very high activity, depth of active zone generally ranges between 1–2 m, the use of remolded and desiccated specimens seems to be a better approach in swelling tests, and the empirical equations based on two or more index or physical properties are good predictors for the estimation of the swelling potential of the clay. High swelling pressures exerted by the soil, flat topography and poor drainage, climatic conditions and poor construction methods are the main reasons of the structural damage observed at the study site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to determine the effect of e-portfolio application on reflective thinking and learning motivation of primary school teacher candidates. The study group of the research consists of primary school teacher candidates studying in the 3rd year of the Faculty of Education of a state university in Ankara. In the research, a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group was used. Quantitative data of the study were collected using the Learning motivation scale, Reflective thinking scale and Performance tasks and independent samples t-test, two-factor ANOVA for mixed designs and Mann Whitney U-Test were used in the analysis of quantitative data. The qualitative data of the study were collected by applying a semi-structured interview form to the primary school teacher candidates in the experimental group through the interview technique. In addition, content analysis method was used in the analysis of qualitative data. When the results obtained from the research were examined, it was seen that there was a significant difference in favour of the experimental group in terms of reflective thinking post-test mean scores. Moreover, when the significance of the difference between the post-test mean scores in terms of learning motivation was examined, it was seen that there was a significant difference in favour of the experimental group. It was determined that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in favour of the experimental group in terms of the performance tasks administered to the primary school teacher candidates. As a result, it was concluded that e-portfolio applications have a positive effect on reflective thinking, learning motivation and performance tasks of primary school teacher candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shading strategies are effective means to reduce urban risk factors such as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The influence of shaded outdoor spaces on university students' thermal adaptability and cognitive performance is limited researched. The study aims at evaluating the effect of shaded outdoor spaces upon thermal comfort; and, linking such results upon university students' cognitive performance in a classroom environment with natural ventilation. A case study was conducted with students the ages of 19–22 at Bilkent University in Ankara, during the mid-season in October. The quantitative microclimatic conditions of the university campus's unshaded/shaded areas and indoor studios were obtained through Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) index. The qualitative evaluation was undertaken by the adaptive model and thermal comfort survey. D2 test of attention was conducted to measure cognitive performance of students. This study revealed that the shade may increase thermal adaptation with the lowest mean PET of 18.7°C, while the highest mean PET of 33.2°C was obtained in sun-exposed space. Also, experiencing shaded outdoor space contributed to an improvement in concentration performance (CP) of students resulting in the mean CP score of 182.8, while those with sun-exposed outdoor space experience had the mean CP score of 167.6 within studios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs), affecting aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, have spread globally. The atmosphere is known as a pollutant acceptor and carrier among other ecosystems. However, the fate and amount of microplastics in the atmosphere have been the subject of less research. Therefore, it is quite important to study the amount and properties of microplastics in atmospheric fallout. The main purpose of this article is to discover microplastics in fresh snow samples collected in three different regions of Ankara and to identify potential sources of supply. The morphologies and compositions of microplastics were analyzed and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). μ-Raman spectroscopy was used to reveal the various polymer types of the selected samples. As a result, microplastics were found in all snow samples. Among the nine snow samples examined, 537 particles were recognized as MPs. The average abundance of MPs in snow samples was 59.66 items L−1. Fibers, fragments, films, and circular forms were found in all snow samples. Fragments predominated for all samples (50.08%), followed by films (28.54%), fibers (16.86%), and circulars (4.50%). The proportion of small plastics was quite high when compared to the large plastics captured by snow. Smaller MP particles found in the snow had more variety, suggesting that the microplastics in the snow samples have been broken down by long-range transport and deposition. Six different polymer types were discovered in the snow samples in this study. The most frequently identified polymer was polyethylene (31%), succedded by polystyrene (28%), and polypropylene (21%). Polyethylene terephthalate (12%), polyvinyl chloride (5%), and nylon were present in smaller proportions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of the reliability of deep excavation support systems requires the inclusion of the soil variability in conjunction with probabilistic analysis. This is often considered a complicated process; therefore, the method is usually not followed in routine engineering practice. Recent developments in finite element modelling now enable probabilistic analyses to be performed more conveniently. As an illustrative example, the case history of a 20 m-deep excavation supported by anchored drilled shafts in the Sogutozu district of Ankara was investigated. Experimental results indicate that saturated sand-gravel bands, which are common within Ankara Clay, have the potential to cause a significant decrease in the anchor capacity. Ergo the excavation performance, including structural capacity and wall lateral displacements, was evaluated taking into regard the probabilistic nature of the effect of these bands and the variability of the soil parameters. Back-analysis was performed and compared with inclinometer readings to examine the capability of the numerical model to simulate the field behaviour. Later, additional finite element analyses were carried out through Python scripting software to investigate the reliability of the excavation. Geotechnical parameters of the Ankara Clay produced by Monte Carlo simulation method were used in these analyses. The results were evaluated within the context of recommended acceptable reliability levels. The reliability of the system was determined to be relatively low when taking into account the adverse impact of sand and gravel bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based upon a 'human-centred approach', combinations of existing and new methodologies were applied to determine how Ankara's morphological characteristics influenced the magnitude/frequency of Cold Stress (CS) and Heat Stress (HS) to detect/quantify seasonal and yearly human thermal stress frequency. To quantify these conditions upon the human biometeorological system, the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) was utilised by processing climatic variables from Ankara's Meteorological Station (AMS). In situ assessments of human thermophysiological thresholds were undertaken within characteristic existing/future Urban Canyon Cases (UCCs), with a further stipulation of three interior Reference Points (RPs). Indoor PET values were moreover calculated within a stereotypical vulnerable residential dwelling. Seasonal frequencies revealed that winter PET values frequently ranged between 0.0 and − 19.9 °C, with corresponding summer values frequently ranging between 35.1 and 46.0 °C. Accounting for Ankara's urban morphology, yearly frequency of No Thermal Stress remained at ~ 48%, CS remained at ~ 26%, and HS ~ 28%. HS varied the most between the eight evaluated Aspect Ratios (ARs). It reduced by up to 7.1% (114 min) within the Centre (RPC) area of UCCs with an orientation of 90°. Out of twelve orientations, the highest HS frequency took place between 105 and 135°. Including in UCC3.50, the frequency of HS almost always remained above 72% (2592 min). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, more than half of the world's population of 7.6 billion lives in cities, and by 2030, it is estimated that the population of urban residents will exceed 5 billion worldwide. Since growth in cities destroys agriculture, forests, and wetlands, an increasing carbon footprint brings many environmental problems, such as global climate change. Among the developing countries, Türkiye's largest cities have been experiencing a rapid urbanization process. The study aims to analyze the adverse effects of urban growth in Türkiye's largest metropolises on natural areas such as agriculture, forests, and wetlands. In this context, the Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir metropolitan areas have been determined as case areas. The correlation between the changes in the land cover and the urban expansion processes of the three big cities from 1990 to 2018 has been systematically analyzed in the GIS environment using Corine land cover program data. The study indicates the devastating effect of urban growth on agricultural areas in all three case areas. In addition, the urbanization pressure in Istanbul continues to destroy northern forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difficulty in accessing resources and increasing environmental concerns encourage industrial manufacturing enterprises to establish a symbiosis network. The identification of symbiotic relationships contributes to the more sustainable development of industrial activities. However, businesses operating in industrial parks are diversified by sector. In order to establish a sustainable symbiosis network in industrial parks, the symbiotic relations of each sector in industrial parks should be evaluated separately. Thus, the installation process of the symbiosis network will be easier and more sustainable. In this context, this study aims to prioritize the sector in which a symbiosis network will be established by presenting an innovative approach for the evaluation of symbiosis potentials. For this purpose, criteria for the implementation process affecting the establishment of the symbiosis network were determined. Multi-criteria decision-making methods were used to solve the problem. Considering the uncertainties in the process, fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods were used. As a result, a decision-making model has been proposed to determine the priority sector in order to establish a symbiosis network in industrial parks. According to the results obtained with the multi-criteria decision-making methods, the number of enterprises that will evaluate the waste, that is, the number of customers with waste, has been determined as the criterion with the highest level of importance. While evaluating the alternatives, the casting sector was chosen as a priority. This sector is followed by the petro and chemical sector as the second alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood routing models are vital in predicting floods and taking all necessary precautions in the region where floods occur, preventing loss of life and property in the region and protecting agricultural areas. This study aims to compare the performance of various machine learning models such as Bagged Tree, Gradient-Boosted Machine, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbor, Support Vector Machine and Extreme Gradient Boosting for flood routing prediction models in Ankara, Eskişehir and Sivas. In addition, the predictive success of tree-based algorithms established according to the optimized and default parameters was compared. For this purpose, the flood data of 2013, 2014 and 2015 discharge observation stations located in Ankara D12A242-D12A126, D12A170-D12A172 in Eskişehir and D15A290-E15A035 in Sivas were used. While establishing the machine learning (ML) models, the data was selected as 80% training and 20% testing. Model performances were tested according to various statistical indicators such as root mean square error, mean absolute error and determination coefficient. As a result of the study, the Gradient-Boosted Machine was chosen as the most successful model in estimating flood routing. In addition, the K-nearest neighbor model with 3-nearest neighbor achieved high-level prediction success with the lowest error rates in Ankara. The findings are important in terms of flood management and taking necessary precautions before the flood occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace metal pollution is a vital issue in ecological problems (air, soil, and water), and it threatens human health in many urban areas worldwide. The accumulation of heavy metals released from various sources can readily occur on plants and impairs their growth. Therefore, monitoring metal concentration is extremely important when released into the atmosphere from one place to another urban environment. Biomonitor is one of the passive methods used to track selected elements. Chromium (Cr) has adverse effects on plants when it is in high concentrations; therefore, the variation of its concentration in plants is important to be assessed. Another target element, zinc (Zn), has different essential metabolic functions in plants and is crucial in protein and carbohydrate synthesis. It directly affects the plant due to its protein and carbohydrate synthesis role. This study aimed to determine the variation of the Cr and Zn concentration ratio in the organs of Picea pungens Engelm. from Ankara, Türkiye. According to organ, age, washing status, and location, Picea pungens Engelm. showed significant differences (p < 0.05) for Cr and Zn pollution on the road shoulders. Their location on the tree can easily determine the age of the needles and branches. The total values of bark for Cr and Zn were calculated as 23,887 ppb and 672,012 ppb in barks in unwashed samples. The result of the Cr and Zn content was significantly evaluated using ANOVA and Duncan test. The P. pungens is an excellent passive sampler as a biomonitor for the Cr and Zn distribution in the local atmospheric environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and Peste des petits ruminant disease (PPR) are acute and severe infectious diseases of sheep and are listed as animal diseases for compulsory immunization. However, there is no dual vaccine to prevent these two diseases. The Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara strain (MVA) has been widely used in the construction of recombinant live vector vaccine because of its large capacity of foreign gene, wide host range, high safety, and immunogenicity. In this study, MVA-GFP recombinant virus skeleton was used to construct dual live vector vaccines against FMD and PPR. Methods: The recombinant plasmid pUC57-FMDV P1-2A3CPPRV FH was synthesized and transfected into MVA-GFP infected CEF cells for homologous recombination. Results: The results showed that a recombinant virus without fluorescent labeling was obtained after multiple rounds of plaque screening. The recombinant virus successfully expressed the target proteins, and the empty capsid of FMDV could be observed by transmission electron microscope (TME), and the expression levels of foreign proteins (VP1 and VP3) detected by ELISA were like those detected in FMDV-infected cells. This study laid the foundation for the successful construction of a live vector vaccine against FMD and PPR. Key points: • A recombinant MVA expressing FMDVP12A3C and PRRV HF proteins • Both the FMDV and PRRV proteins inserted into the virus were expressed • The proteins expressed by the recombinant poxvirus were assembled into VLPs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored poverty attribution in terms of socio-economic factors, based on a survey of 1,110 participants living Turkey's three largest cities, namely Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. We include the following socio-economic variables: income, subjective class status, subjective destiny perception, education level, political position, gender, marital status, and age. Participants with higher education levels mostly explain poverty using structural reasons whereas participants with lower education levels tend to explain it with fatalistic reasons. Left- wing participants tend to explain poverty in terms of structural factors for reasons whereas right-wing participants tend to give individualistic reasons. Finally, men tend to offer more individualistic attributions of poverty than women do. Individualistic and structuralist approaches agree on several specific policies for reducing poverty whereas the fatalistic approach suggests different policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to conduct the Turkish adaption of the Six-Nine Years Form of the Multidimensional Neglectful Behavior Scale-Child Report (MNBS-CR) and to assess its psychometric features. The study group consisted of 328 children (161 girls and 167 boys) between six-nine years old who were drawn from four separate primary schools in Ankara and Antalya, Turkey. In the validity study, the analyses were performed separately for the Father and Mother forms of the measure. For the Mother Form, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the core neglect sub-dimensions showed six constructs and 29 items, while five constructs and 27 items were shown by the Father Form CFA. Both of the Forms were found to be significantly associated (p < 0.05) with social desirability and depression in the criterion-related validity analysis. In the reliability analysis, the KR-20 coefficients for the total score of neglect were found to be.84 for the Mother Form and.85 for the Father Form. The results of the study indicated that the Turkish version of the 6–9 Years Form of the MNBS-CR can be considered as a valid and reliable measure for the assessment of child neglect in Turkish children between six and nine years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hosting the world's largest Syrian refugee population, Turkey has not introduced a housing policy to address permanently the housing needs of Syrian urban refugees. The aim of this exploratory study, focusing on a case study in a Syrian ethnic enclave in Ankara, was to provide insights into Syrians' housing conditions and needs while further seeking to establish from their perspectives the determinants of their residential satisfaction (RS). Face-to-face in-depth interviews with 38 Syrian refugees uncovered perceptions and experiences of the resident, dwelling and neighborhood components of RS. The content analysis revealed perceptual attributes of RS, while descriptive statistics displayed the frequencies of citation and the mean RS scores. The study found that Syrians were able to sustain cultural values, identity and social relations through a combination of their own self-settlement strategies and certain neighborhood characteristics, including access to labor and housing markets, aid/subsidies and mosques, low cost of living, the existence of co-ethnics, solidarity networks and peaceful relations with natives, and living in an ethnic enclave. This resulted in RS, which was positively influenced by adaptations made inside/outside the dwelling, detached houses with yards providing privacy, additional housework and socialization space, and large, comfortable, newly-built flats. Conversely, dissatisfaction resulted from the high percentage of rent in the family budget, the existence of unofficial realtors, security problems including the decrease in police services following the departure of Turkish residents, deterioration in dwellings, and the risk of demolitions in the neighborhood's renewal process. Most of the neighborhood and dwelling features in the field met Syrians' needs and aspirations, even to the extent that satisfaction levels exceeded expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, air pollution has increased with rapid urbanization, industrial activities, and traffic density, especially in developing countries. The consumption of the vegetables grown in city centers with high levels of traffic-related pollution poses a major risk to human health due to the heavy metals contained by these plants. Heavy metals have toxic and carcinogenic effects on the human body even when consumed in low concentrations. The aim of this study is to determine the change in the accumulation of Cr, Co, and Ni elements in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) vegetables grown in heavy, light, and almost no traffic areas in Ankara province based on plant species, plant organs, and washing condition. The change of Co, Cr, Ni concentrations based on traffic density showed differences depending on the factors studied. It was remarkable that the Cr and Co concentrations in the washed fruits increased depending on the traffic density in general. This increase means that Cr and Co penetrate into the fruits. These results indicate how harmful the consumption of products grown near areas with heavy traffic and industrial facilities can be since heavy metals are found in high levels in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is facing a large-scale refugee crisis because of the ongoing war in Syria, and it is important to improve refugees' life conditions from a humanitarian point of view. In order to analyse the living conditions of refugees, we conduct fieldwork in a district in Ankara, Turkey, and interview refugees, the local population and humanitarian practitioners from several organizations. Among the many challenges refugees face, we observe that addressing the problems of refugee children is critical. Thus, in this study, we focus on increasing the efficiency of the education services provided to refugee children. We investigate a service provided via mobile trucks that supply informal education and psychological support to children. By analysing the operational dynamics of these trucks, we introduce two problems to the logistics literature, which we refer to as the covering vehicle routing problem and the covering vehicle routing problem with integrated tours. In the first problem, we either visit or cover all nodes, such that every node not in one of the tours is within a predetermined distance of any visited node. In the second problem, we generate smaller tours for covered (or unvisited) nodes originated at the visited ones. We first propose mathematical models for the problems and then introduce heuristic methods to overcome the computational challenge of the second problem. In the computational study, we compare the optimal solutions obtained using the models with a solution of real-life application. We then test the models and heuristics on medium and large real data sets gathered from Turkey and conduct sensitivity analysis on the model parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of present study was to investigate the role of specific dimensions of perceived social support from family, gender, and geographic area of residence in predicting hope levels of high school students. Additionally, the factor structure of Turkish Version of the Hope Scale was reexamined due to controversial findings in Turkish literature. The sample was composed of 737 students (407 female, 330 male) from two high schools in rural and urban areas of Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected by administering the Hope Scale (Snyder et al. in J Pers Soc Psychol 60:570-585, ), the Perceived Social Support from Family Questionnaire (Güngör ), and a demographic information form. The role of independent variables in prediction of hope was investigated via Multiple Regression Analysis. Due to presence of some suppressor variables in the full model, two separate regression analyses were conducted for rural and urban areas. In the regression analysis for rural area students, informational support was the only predictor of hope levels. On the other hand, urban area students' hope levels were predicted by love- and esteem-related support, instrumental support, and gender. Lastly, the factor structure of Turkish Version of the Hope Scale was examined through conducting a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to test how well two-factor model fit to current data. Results of the CFA indicated that two-factor model was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of the machine learning (ML) models has demonstrated notable progress in geosciences. They can identify the underlying process or causality of natural hazards. This article introduces the development and verification procedures of a new hybrid ML model, namely Bat-ELM for predictive drought modelling. The multi-temporal standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI-3 and SPEI-6) is computed as the meteorological drought index at two study regions (Beypazari and Nallihan), located in Ankara province, Turkey. The proposed hybrid model is obtained by integrating the Bat optimization algorithm as the parameter optimizer with an extreme learning machine (ELM) as the regressor engine. The efficiency of the intended model was evaluated against the classic artificial neural network (ANN) and standalone ELM models. The evaluation and assessment are conducted using statistical metrics and graphical diagrams. The forecasting results showed that the accuracy of the proposed model outperformed the benchmark models. In a quantitative assessment, the Bat-ELM model attained minimal root mean square error for the SPEI-3 and SPEI-6 (RMSE = 0.58 and 0.43 at Beypazari station and RMSE = 0.53 and 0.37 at Nallihan station) over the testing phase. This indicates the new model approximately 20 and 15% improves the forecasting accuracy of traditional ANN and classic ELM techniques, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toulmin's argumentation model is an effective tool in the description of one step of an argument. However, there is a need to consider more than this model to portray a comprehensive argumentation process. The purpose of the study is to investigate types of global argumentation structures that emerged while prospective middle school mathematics teachers were working on conjecture-generation activities related to geometry. The participants were junior prospective middle school mathematics teachers at a state university in Ankara, Turkey. The eight global argumentation structures that emerged via conjecture-generation activities of two groups were classified as mono structures and hybrid structures. According to the findings, three types of mono structures, which are the reservoir-structure, the funneling-structure, and the branching-structure, were seen among four possible cases. Three types of hybrid structures were observed among eleven possible combinations of the mono structures, namely, the reservoir-funneling-structure, the line-branching-structure, and the line-reservoir-branching-structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How plant communities in Anatolian steppes recover after disturbances has remained unknown. To study the effects of small-scale disturbances on plant communities of the central Anatolian steppe, we established thirty-two plots 1 × 1 m in size in a natural steppe near Ankara (Turkey). The plots were subjected to mowing or hoeing treatments representing low- and high-intensity disturbance, respectively. Some plots were left untreated to serve as the control. The plots were sampled for three consecutive years to investigate changes in species occurrence, cover and biomass under various disturbance frequencies and intensities over time. The vegetation was able to recover within a few months, particularly in the growing season after mowing treatments, but the recovery level of the vegetation was lower after hoeing, especially when it was applied with high frequency. Species richness and cover of annual herbs increased with moderate disturbance frequencies in both disturbance types whereas perennial herbs were negatively affected by the hoeing disturbance, but not by the mowing disturbance. Both types of disturbance had a significant negative effect on plant aboveground biomass in the plots. The results partly support the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. High-level resilience to small-scale disturbances was observed, possibly due to adaptations of Anatolian steppe plants to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal pathogens cause significant losses both in terms of quality and quantity on oregano (Origanum spp.) cultivation. Various fungal diseases on oregano grown in experimental plots of Ankara Field Crops Research Institute were observed in the years 2018–2020. A lot of symptoms; including dark brown necrosis, brown discoloration in the xylem vessels, brown spots and necrosis on the stems, splitting on the stem and branches together with brown, leaf spots and blights at varying sizes were observed. In addition, brown rust symptoms were also found. The fungal pathogens were isolated by plating disease samples taken from the peripheries of the necrosis or spots on culture media of water agar, potato dextrose agar and malt extract agar. The obtained fungi were identified by their morphological characteristics first, at least at genus rank and then by generating ITS1 and ITS4 gene sequences and comparing the sequences by the ones deposited in GeneBank. The most common and widespread pathogen was Boeremia exgua var. exigua and it was isolated from disease symptoms on branches, stems, collars and leaves from all the Oregano genotypes. From the brown necrotic areas at the collar, mostly Fusarium equiseti was isolated. From the leaf spots, along with Boeremia exgua var. exigua, Alternaria alternata complex and A. tenuissima were also recovered. The rust pathogen Puccinia menthae was determined on only Origanum vulgare var. gracile. Alternaria alternata complex, A. tenuissima, Fusarium equiseti, Boeremia exgua var. exigua were first records on Origanum spp. and Puccinia menthae on Origanum vulgare var. gracile in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose is to evaluate the antibacterial effects of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) (Nanografi, METU Teknokent, Ankara, Turkey) mixed with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) (Ultracal XS, Ultradent, St Louis, US) or chlorhexidine gel (CHX) (Gluco-Chex, Cerkamed, Stalowa Wola, Poland) against a multispecies biofilm, by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and culture-based analysis. Dentine blocks were inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Actinomyces naeslundii for 1 week. Infected dentine blocks were randomly divided into groups according to medication; saline solution (SS), Ca(OH)2, Ca(OH)2 + AgNP, 2%CHX gel and 2%CHX gel + AgNP and time of application: 1 and 7 days (all groups, n = 5). Bacterial samples were collected before and after medication to quantify the bacterial load. Biofilm elimination was quantitatively analyzed by Live/Dead BacLight Bacterial Viability staining and CLSM. The addition of AgNPs to Ca(OH)2 increased the effectiveness of medicament in terms of bacterial reduction in both application times (1 and 7 days) (p < 0.05: ANOVA, Tukey's test) according to culture-based analysis. The CLSM images revealed that mixture of AgNP with CHX killed significantly more bacteria when compared with all other medicaments at 1- and 7-day application times (p < 0.05 and p > 0.05, respectively: Kruskal–Wallis, Dunn post hoc tests). The efficacy of Ca(OH)2 mixed with AgNPs was superior to Ca(OH)2 used alone in both application times (p < 0.05) according to CLSM analysis. The present study put forth the potential use of AgNPs mixed with Ca(OH)2 or CHX on multispecies (Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Actinomyces naeslundii) biofilm in 1 and 7day application periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the chemical characteristics, isotopic compositions (δ18O, δ2H), geothermal properties, and suitability for irrigation of groundwater resources were explored in Çubuk-Melikşah (Ankara/Turkey). Water types present in the study area were mainly CaMgHCO3 and NaHCO3, with isotope compositions ranging from − 10.6 to − 9.06 for δ18O and from − 75.62 to − 61.93 for δ2H. The mineral saturation index showed that samples were saturated with respect to aragonite, calcite, and dolomite, while anhydrite and gypsum were undersaturated. Reservoir temperatures, computed from silica geothermometers were 60–75 °C for Melikşah thermal water. Based on the sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, soluble sodium percentage, permeability index, sodium percentage, boron and electrical conductivity values, waters examined in the study area were generally considered to be suitable for irrigation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus is a health complication that millions of people suffer from all over the world. Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes requires many changes in the daily lives of patients, including monitoring blood glucose, following a healthy diet, exercising, and taking medications. Although it is vital for their health, patients generally find it difficult to adhere to their medical regimen. In order to better understand the adherence behaviors of type II diabetes patients, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used as the theoretical framework for this study. Ninety type II diabetes patients, who were outpatients of four different hospitals in Ankara, Turkey were administered the TPB tool. The mediation analyses provided support for the mediating role of intention for the attitudes-behavior and subjective norms-behavior relations. The findings did not reveal a mediating role of intention for the PBC-behavior relation but a significant direct effect of PBC on adherence behavior was found. Overall, it seems important that PBC and the multi-faceted nature of adherence behaviors are considered when designing interventions for type II diabetes patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to investigate the statistical literacy of seventh grade students regarding the concepts of average and variation on bar and line graphs presented in alternative real-life contexts. To this end, the statistical literacy levels of the seventh grade students were initially determined. Subsequently, definitions, interpretations and evaluations generated by the students at varying levels of statistical literacy were examined in further depth. More specifically, a qualitative survey study was conducted with 164 seventh graders from two public middle schools in Ankara, Turkey. The data, collected by means of a-five-item instrument, were analyzed by utilizing the modified version of the six-hierarchical-level framework developed by Watson and Callingham (Statistics Education Research Journal, 2(2), 3–46, 2003). The findings revealed that most of the students' statistical literacy levels were identified as either Level 3 or Level 4 in the framework with respect to the concept of average, and either Level 1 or Level 2 with respect to the concept of variation. Hence, it can be inferred that while many of the students could interpret average in the given contexts, they had difficulty in interpreting variation. Although definitions and evaluations related to both concepts were found difficult by seventh graders, the graphs, particularly bar graphs, which students were provided with, were observed to be helpful for students in their evaluation of variation. Additionally, students benefitted from some of the contexts they were provided while evaluating variation. Finally, the analysis revealed some discrepancies among students' definitions and their interpretations or evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disclosed study undertook a 'human centred-approach' that ascertained and categorised environmental human thermophysiological risk factors by relating them to the human biometeorological system through the use of three widely utilised energy balance model (EBM) indices, the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), the modified PET, and the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). The disclosed assessment was carried out over the past decade (i.e., 2010–2019) with a 3-h temporal resolution for the case of Ankara through two WMO meteorological stations to compare both local urban and peri-urban environmental conditions. The study recognised extreme annual variability of human physiological stress (PS) during the different seasons as a result of the biometeorological processing of the singular variables, which in the case of average PET for both stations, varied by up to 75 °C between the winter and summer for the same annual dataset (2012). In addition, all EBMs indicated higher heat stress within the city centre that were conducive of both urban extreme heatwaves and very hot days during the summer months, with extreme heat stress levels lasting for longer than a week with PET values reaching a maximum of 48 °C. Similar cold extremes were found for the winter months, with PET values reaching − 30 °C, and average PS levels varying lower in the case of the peri-urban station. Graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, trans-resveratrol (t-RSV; 3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) contents of the ripened berries of 23 clones of 'Kalecik Karası' which is one of Turkey's leading red wine grape cultivars, grown in Ankara (Kalecik) were determined by HPLC. For this purpose; the berries were collected at 22–24 °Brix during 2016–2017 vintage seasons. Descriptive statistics for t-RSV content of clones were expressed as mean with their standard errors. One-way analysis of variance was performed for the comparison. Duncan multiple comparison test was used to determine the significant variances among clones. In addition, Analysis of Mean (ANOM) was also applied to determine the differences of the clones from the grand mean. As a result, t-RSV content of the clones ranged from 0.31 mg kg−1 (Clone 22) to 1.67 mg kg−1 (Clone 7) followed by Clone 6 with 1.12 mg kg−1 and differences among the clones were statistically significant (p < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to test a model that consisted of dispositional hope, cognitive flexibility, and coping strategies (avoidance, problem-focused coping, and seeking social support) towards subjective well-being of university students. The sample of the study included 1222 undergraduate students (601 females and 621 males) from a public university in Ankara, Turkey. In order to collect data, Dispositional Hope Scale, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Coping with Stress Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and a demographic information form were administered. Structural equation modeling was employed in order to test the proposed model. The results showed that the proposed model fitted the data along with explaining 57% of the total variance in subjective well-being. According to the findings, cognitive flexibility and problem-focused coping failed to have direct effects on subjective well-being, whereas dispositional hope, avoidance, and seeking social support had significant direct effects on subjective well-being. That is, university students who had higher levels of dispositional hope and engaged in more avoidance and seeking social support while coping with stress had higher levels of subjective well-being. Moreover, the findings presented non-significant indirect effects of dispositional hope and cognitive flexibility on subjective well-being through coping strategies. Findings, possible implications, limitations of the study and suggestions for further studies were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ankara Citadel which is one of the important cultural heritages in Turkey settles in the oldest part of Ankara. Rockfall event has occurred around the Citadel located on a steep hill where andesite is exposed. The rockfall problem causes a great risk to the surrounding area where road, school, floral shops, car parking. Therefore, the major aim of this research is to reveal the rockfall risk around the castle. The rockfall problems around the Ankara Citadel may be linked with weathering, freezing–thawing, earthquake, and cooling joints, and effects or combination of these in the rock units. The rockfall-related hazard at the Citadel is assessed by 2-D rockfall analyses along several profiles in this investigation. Field observations and stability analyses (kinematic and limit equilibrium) of the slopes reveal that there exist many blocks ready to fall down. Four different andesite block sizes measured in the field are separately analyzed on the basis of bounce height, fall-out distance, velocity and kinetic energy of the blocks. The obtained data are evaluated to define the possible rockfall-based hazard zones. Based on the danger zones acquired from the rockfall analyses, the removal of the fallen and loosen andesite blocks and the installation of catch barriers with suggested properties are recommended. Besides, the risk integrated into rockfall hazard rating system on the basis of structural and morphological criteria of the rock mass reveals that medium risk category to be mitigated by light remedial measures for the indicative protection exists in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the geotechnical properties of fine-grained soils of Ankara. The secondary purpose is to determine the statistical relationships among swelling potential, swelling pressure and geotechnical parameters of these fine-grained soils. 440 data sets were used. Standard penetration tests, swelling tests and index tests were performed in this study. Fine-grained soils of Ankara are mainly medium–high plastic inorganic clays. They are mainly moderately active and stiff. Ankara soils may be considered as medium to high expanding soils and may be risky for lightweight structures. The simple regression analyses between swelling pressure and plasticity index resulted in a high coefficient of determination. The simple regression analysis among swelling potential and activity, swelling pressure and fine-grained percentage also resulted in an acceptable coefficient of determination. Two input parameters were used for the multiple nonlinear regression analysis. The prediction performance of the derived equations was tested with RMSE indices and VAF values. The best predictions were determined with the equation derived with the corrected SPT blow count-activity as an input parameter for determination of the swelling potential and the corrected SPT blow count-fine-grained percentage for determination of the swelling pressure with the multiple nonlinear regression analysis. Prediction error analysis of empirical equations proposed in this study and empirical equations collected from literature were performed. Both the equations proposed in this study and several equations from literature showed good performance. However most of the equations from literature gave negative results. The empirical equations developed in this study should be tested with other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information available on microalgae-sourced compounds, especially antibiotics and other bioactive compounds, and their potential commercial applications is still insufficient. In this study, antibacterial activity, metabolites, and molecular characterization of Phormidium autumnale, which was isolated from samples collected from different natural freshwater sources in Ankara, Turkey, were investigated. Sequencing results of 16s rDNA confirmed the molecular identification of P. autumnale by 99%. It was determined that the peak values of some phenolic compounds and cyclic peptides were consistent with the 1653–1389 cm−1 band regions in the FTIR spectra of the species. The antibacterial activities of P. autumnale cyanobacteria (CBA) extracts that were obtained by using different solvents were tested on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant (MR) Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Enterococcus faecalis by using a disc diffusion method. Also, the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and antimicrobial indexes of all extracts were determined. It was found that P. autumnale methanol extracts showed antibacterial activity on all test bacteria, whereas acetone extracts showed effects only on E. coli. For the inhibition of MR S. aureus, the control methanol extract was found to give very similar results to those exhibited by the control antibiotics, and the antimicrobial index results were determined to be 58.7–67.5%. According to the results of the analysis of methanol extract, gentisic acid, vanillic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, and catechin (especially phenolic compounds) were determined to be the active compounds. It can be concluded that P. autumnale is an alternative to current commercial applications as an antibacterial agent in phytotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As future pharmacists, pharmacy students have the chance to obtain necessary information about mental illnesses in their faculty education and internships. Their gained observations, experiences, awareness, and knowledge throughout their degree will affect their beliefs, attitudes, and future behaviors toward mentally ill patients. In this regard, the study aims to determine pharmacy students' actions towards mentally ill patients by evaluating its antecedents, such as beliefs and attitudes. A survey was applied to pharmacy students in Ankara, Turkey. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure, and confirmatory factor analysis was used to verify them. Then, the comprehensive structural equation model was proposed to explain the relations of them to each other. Behavior toward mentally ill patients (BMIP) model was proposed. According to the BMIP model, students' beliefs about how mentally patients are dangerous, and how mental illness is incurable are posited to be positively related to negative attitudes towards those with mental illness, which in turn influence behaviors towards them. The BMIP model can be a guide not only for pharmacy students' behaviors in their professional life but also for educators at pharmacy faculties for orientating students accurately about mental illnesses. Mental illnesses should gain more importance in pharmacy education not only to increase the positive behaviors of the students, but also to improve their counseling skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to measure zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and aluminum (Al) in whole, semi-skimmed, skimmed, organic, fruit-flavored (strawberry, banana, and cocoa), pasteurized, and raw cows' milk. The samples were collected from sterilized and pasteurized milk processed in different ways in Ankara; the milk was kept in refrigerated raw milk storage tanks on dairy farms. Ninety samples were collected, and there were ten samples in each group. Analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Lead and Cd were not found in any samples, while Zn was observed in all samples. The element with the highest frequency of occurrence was Zn, followed by Cr = As> Al > Se > Fe > Ni > Cu > Pb = Cd, in decreasing order. The lowest concentration among the essential elements was seen in Cu. Aluminum and As were found in 85% and 94.45% of the samples, respectively. However, the present concentrations were below the level of a probable negative effect. It was found that the concentrations of elements in milk showed statistically significant differences, depending on the milk type. It is recommended that low-quality materials not be used in the preparation of milk; the element concentrations in milk and the feed and water consumed by animals should be controlled regularly, and the animals should not be pastured near industrial and traffic sites to protect public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]